


I Found Someone

by Ultra



Category: 10 Things I Hate About You (TV)
Genre: Awkward Conversations, Character Study, F/M, Feelings, Happy Ending, Hopeful Ending, Insight, Introspection, Misunderstandings, Post-Canon, Teen Angst, Teen Romance, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-07-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25421839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ultra/pseuds/Ultra
Summary: Everybody knew Patrick Verona was not a people person, that he never let anybody close. They didn’t know why and he wasn’t about to tell them, but then, there was her. Katarina Stratford. The first time he saw her, he knew she was different, but he never could’ve known it would end up like this.
Relationships: Kat Stratford/Patrick Verona
Comments: 6
Kudos: 41
Collections: Juletide 2020





	I Found Someone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mary_the_gardener](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mary_the_gardener/gifts).



> Mary_the_gardener - Hope this fic is all that you wished for. I actually never wrote for this fandom before, but I think it turned out okay in the end :)

Everybody knew Patrick Verona was not a people person, that he never let anybody close. They didn’t know why and he wasn’t about to tell them, but then, there was her. Katarina Stratford. The first time he saw her, he knew she was different, but he never could’ve known it would end up like this. 

Most of the girls at Padua High were all the same. Sure, some were cheerleaders and others were honour roll, but in the end, they were just foolish high school girls, more concerned with their hair or their grade point average than anything that mattered to him. Kat wasn’t so different when it came to her grades, but she was so much more than her college dreams. She had substance, she had drive, and she wasn’t afraid of him. Of course, it didn’t hurt that she was insanely hot too.

It started out simple enough, almost like a game. He wanted her and she resisted, even though he knew damn well she was interested. The more she fought it, the more he wanted her. The difference was realising that once he had her, he wasn’t going to get bored with her. It wasn’t just the challenge of getting the ungettable girl, it was about Kat, it was about how much he cared for her. Weirdly, it also became about how much she cared for him too.

Patrick really wasn’t built to deal with being cared for. He wasn’t used to it, never really had it. His mom wasn’t all bad, but her choices weren’t the best, and when it came to home and family, all her focus was on the dick she married rather than her son.

It was obvious that the older Patrick got, the more he looked like his dad, and for his mom, that made him public enemy number one. As far as the step-dad went, he was just waiting for the day Patrick turned eighteen so he could kick him out and they all knew it. Until then, the stress of living together took its toll on them all.

There was a time when he almost told Kat about it. When he went over to her place to crash on the floor after the latest fight with his step-father, she asked what was wrong, and Patrick did consider telling her everything. It was just a fleeting thought. After all, if he started talking, he might not stop, and if anyone could get him to really open up, it might just be her. It might get messy. There might be tears. He so wasn’t ready for her to see him that way. He wasn’t so sure he ever would be, actually.

Of course, she had to know everything even when he didn’t want to tell. Trailing him to his therapist’s office was pretty stupid, but he knew she only did it in the first place because she cared. Then she actually went ahead and said it. She cared. She cared about him.

It felt so weird to hear her say it, so completely new and strange when so many others had turned their back, shied away, just not given a damn. Suddenly, Patrick had someone who cared and the truth was it felt pretty good.

Naturally, it had to get blown to hell. Didn’t everything in his stupid-ass life? Honestly, how they went from fooling around in the back of a van, talking about finally taking that big step, to a sudden break-up, he wasn’t sure. It was only later, sat alone in the dark, replaying it all in his head, that Patrick realised what an idiot he was.

While his mom and step-dad yelled at each other and a beer bottle broke against the wall, Patrick turned up the stereo, put his face in his hands and wished the world away a while. More than that, he wished Kat were there, wished he could talk to her, finally be completely honest with her, tell her he loved her more than he ever loved anyone. Wishes didn’t come true, not for Patrick Verona.

In the days that followed, when Kat started talking about going to Nepal, he just shut down. It was easier to wish her well, let her go. Allowing her close would only hand her the chance to hurt him, Patrick knew, and yet.

Next thing he knew, Kat had changed her mind, no trekking in the mountains for her. She said it was because her sister begged her to stay, and yet.

Blocking her out became impossible after that, not least because her posters were on every wall of the school. Vote for Kat for Class President. He told her he wouldn’t, already knowing he would, come what may, and he did. Even when things went to hell and every other student turned against her, Patrick was there, because he didn’t know how not to be anymore, because he loved her enough to stand by her, even if she didn’t want him to.

The relief when she wanted him back, the joy of having her in his arms again, holding her, kissing her, knowing this was where he was supposed to be, never being more certain. They never actually said it was love, no labels, not for people like them. Kat wasn’t the type, neither was Patrick, but that was just fine. What they didn’t say in words, they proved in actions, ending up in her bed together, promising afterwards to never break each other’s hearts.

As in every other time in Patrick’s stupid life, just when things were going well, they crashed and burned, or seemed to. Of course, Mr Stratford had to walk in. Of course, he had to stand his ground and get mad and be that guy. Patrick supposed he couldn’t blame him, but even as he hid his own head under a pillow, sure everything was about to be blown to hell one more time, he realised maybe things were different.

“And you can be mad about this, you can ground me, and you can lecture me, and that’s fine, but you won’t make me regret what we did,” Kat said firmly, standing up to her father with the same defiance in her voice Patrick had heard so many times before. “I’m mature enough to know what I’m doing. _We_ are mature enough. Patrick and I made the right decision for us. Whatever you say or do will not change that.”

The pillow came away from Patrick’s face and he sat up beside his girlfriend, staring wide-eyed at her for a moment, until finally she looked at him too. She seemed just a little uncertain at first, as if she half-expected him to disagree, to freak-out, to bail. He couldn’t blame her for thinking he might, but he wasn’t going to, not this time.

“She’s right,” he said, smiling slightly as he looked from Kat to her father. “With respect, Mr Stratford, we’re not gonna apologise for what happened here. I care about your daughter... a lot.”

The smile Kat shot him then was worth everything and Patrick knew that when, not if, they came through this, he was going to tell her all the things he didn’t get around to yet, and that they would both be stronger for it. Finally, he found the one person who he could stand by, who would stand by him too, who he was willing to let close, who he could really trust with his heart, and she had been worth the wait.


End file.
